Woh jo hum main tum main qarar tha, Tumhain yaad ho kay na yaad ho That peace we had between us, you might remember or you might not Woh hi yaani wada nibah ka, Tumhain yaad ho kay na yaad ho That promise of staying together, you might remember or you might not Woh jo hum main tum main qarar tha That peace we had between us
Woh jo lutf mujh pay thay peshtar, Woh karam kay tha meray haal par Those joys that were often on me, that kindness on my being Mujhay sab hai yaad zara zara, tumhain yaad ho kay na yaad ho I remember every bit, whether you remember or not
Woh naye gile woh shikaayatein’, woh maze maze ki hikaayatein- Those new resentments, those complaints, those light hearted and fun stories Woh har aik baat pe roothna, tumhein’ yaad ho ke na yaad ho.. That being displeased at everything, you might remember or you might not
As this Begum Akhtar Ghazal unravels onscreen, we are treated to a beauty that becomes Dedh Ishqiya. Bollywood has become, in many ways repetitive and gaudy, Dedh Ishqiya proves that there are at least some intelligent film-makers within its fraternity. Ishqiya released in 2010, and this 1.5 sequel was released 4 years after. Dedh Ishqiya wasn’t made for the sake of making a sequel, it was made once the story and screenplay had been finalised with a fresh twist. Vishal Bhardwaj’s love for literature, has I am sure, influenced this film heavily.
Dedh Ishqiya is rich in all the senses, dialogues, cinematography, screenplay, music, and stupendous performances, full of heart. In an attempt to fully re-create the magic of an era gone by, where good, sincere music and poetry reigns supreme, the team of Dedh Ishqiya deserves full marks. The movie does bring back old charm and grandeur, in a hilarious way. Khalu and Babban are at it again, all the way to Mahmudabad this time. Nothing and No-one is as they seem, in a one-liner. The use of chaste Urdu, helped enhance the atmosphere of the movie thoroughly.
Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi make a good team and the have a great camaraderie in this movie. Huma Qureshi is also pretty capable. She adds a certain spunk to her character.
The performances are top rate and I’d be kidding myself and everyone else if I said I watched Dedh Ishqiya for anyone else other than Madhuri Dixit. She blazes onscreen. I couldn’t contain myself when Muniya announced the entrance of Para before the Swayamvar; really good to see Madhuri on the big-screen. The power in her performance lies in her expressions; they speak volumes of what her character is going through. Begum Para’s story is heartfelt and catches you offguard. One scene in particular that comes to mind is when Muniya scares Para while she is making paan, Muniya then hugs Para. Watch Madhuri’s face when she realises that something has changed, and it’s only in the end that you understand why. There is a lot of subtext in Para’s character that is not explored, but you know it’s there. This was a great move by the writers. Made people think a bit. What more can one ask for when we are treated to Madhuri dancing to the choreography of Pandit Birju Maharaj, to a Raaga based song sung by Rekha Bharadwaj?? By the time Jagaave Saari Raina had come onscreen, I was beside myself. Madhuri danced like a dream, and I cannot stop having that dream!
Naseeruddin and Madhuri share a great onscreen chemistry; they are romantic and poetic.
Which leads me to the music of the film; I have read many reviews saying the music is inept and hasn’t gelled with the listeners. Well I have a retort! There is nothing wrong with the music; it’s the people that need changing. After watching the movie, I realise what a genius Vishal Bhardwaj really is. The songs suit the characters and the setting perfectly. They complement each other perfectly. ‘Zabaan Jale Hai’, ‘Dil Ka Mizaaj’,’Jagaave Saari Raina’and ‘Hamari Atariya Pe’ are excellent songs that are well written and beautifully orchestrated.
Dedh Ishqiya is paisa vasool fare. I mean who would have thought that a shoot-out scene in the end with the same Begum Akhtar ghazal ‘Woh jo hum main tum main qarar tha, Tumhain yaad ho kay na yaad ho’ playing in the background, could be so enticing, so perfect and yet so contrasting? This is not one of those noisemaker, loud, garish movies. It’s intelligent, witty and worth the praise it’s getting. I commend the team of Dedh Ishqiya.
I will also remain oblivious to the final BO fate of this movie, as i have no trust in the choices of the Indian public. From the reports that i have read, its seems Yaariyan has taken in more cash than Dedh Ishqiya. This again shown the reason for my first line in this paragraph.
My rating is a definite 9/10.
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